Convertible building construction



June 11, 1968 B. T. HUEY CONVERTIBLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb.

INVENTOR 2900K: 7.7/05

ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 B. T. HUEY CONVERTIBLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 3, 1966 INVENTOR Mocks FAQ/7 4 ATTORNEY June11, 1968 B. T. HUEY 3,387,413

CONVERTIBLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 5. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INXIENTCR;

ieoaes ZM/EX United States Patent 3,387,413 CONVERTIBLE BUILDINGCONSTRUCTKQN Brooks T. Huey, 216 1717 West End Bldg, Nashville, Tenn.37293 Filed Feb. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 524,798 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-69)ABSTRACT OF THE DISLOSURE A convertible building construction includinga floor, frame, outside walls, an upper ceiling and a pair oflongitudinal beams spaced inwardly of the outside Walls having trackmeans supporting longitudinal foldable doors; a pair of lower ceilingpanels hinged to the longitudinal beams for swinging movement between alower ceiling plane and an upper position engaging the upper ceiling,and transverse track means and transverse foldable partition wallsextending between each outside wall and the inside edge of eachcorresponding lower ceiling panel.

This invention relates to a building construction, and more particularlyto a building adapted for the assembly of large groups of people and forconversion to different uses.

Heretofore, large assembly areas in hotels, restaurants and educationalbuildings have been sub-divided into smaller areas by the extension offoldable partition walls movably suspended on overhead tracks, andre-converted to the larger assembly areas by folding or collapsing thedoors.

In the US. Reames Patent 3,083,418, issued Apr. 2, 1963, the idea ofenlarging overhead space by the movement of ceiling panels, as well asthe horizontal expansion and contraction of room space by movement offoldable partition walls, was advanced. However, in the Reames patent,the ceiling for the central assembly area remains fixed, whereas onlythe ceilings for the side room areas are movable to integrate the sideroom areas and the central assembly area and to restore the low-ceilingside room areas.

It is an object of this invention to provide a convertible building inwhich the ceiling construction of the main assembly area is convertiblebetween a high ceiling and a low ceiling.

Another object of this invention is to provide a building constructionhaving a ceiling convertible between high and low positions and foldablewalls for sub-dividing a large assembly area into smaller areas when theceiling has been converted to its low position.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a buildingconstruction a main assembly area having a ceiling convertible betweenhigh and low positions, and side rooms having fixed low ceilings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a convertible buildingconstruction having a central longitudinal aswmbly area with a ceilingconvertible between high and low positions, and room areas on oppositesides of the assembly area having fixed ceilings, side partition wallsadapted to be moved longitudinally for separating the central and sideareas, and transversely extending partition walls for sub-dividing theside room areas and the central assembly area.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a building :made in accordance withthis invention, with the outer walls shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing theentire transverse elevation of the building;

3,387,413 Patented June 11, 1968 FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional transverse elevation of the left portion of the building shownin FIG. 2;

FIG. 4- is a section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the intersecting tracks taken along theline 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the invention may beincorporated in a large building 10, such as a large assembly buildingused for both recreational and educational purposes by a church. Thebuilding includes side walls 11 and 12, end walls 13 and 14 and a roof15, which may be sloping or not, as desired. The building 10 made inaccordance with this invention is divisible into three main longitudinalareas; namely, the assembly area 17 and the two side room areas 13 and19, disposed on opposite sides of the assembly area 17.

Extending longitudinally of the building 16 and along the lines ofdivision between the areas 17, 18 and 19 are a pair of longitudinalbeams 20, fixed to and suspended from the roof beams or rafters 21 bythe dependent vertical beams 22. Fixed to the inside of eachlongitudinal beam are a plurality of longitudinally spaced dependingframe arms 25 supporting the ceiling frames 26, which support theceilings 27 and 28 in fixed positions co-extensive with the side roomareas 18 and 1%, respectively. The ceilings 27 and 28 are provided withspaced transversely extending overhead tracks 29 and 30, respectively,for monthly suporting folding partition walls 31 and 32, respectively.The partition walls 31 and 32 are adapted to move transversely betweenfolded or stored positions, such as the positions of the partition walls31 disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and their extended positions as shownby the position of the partition wall 32 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Although theextent of the walls 32 in FIGS. 1 and 2 provides a door openingcommunicating the areas divided by each partition Wall 32, the walls 32may extend the full width of the room area 19.

Separating the side room areas 18 and 1? from the central assembly area17 are longitudinal folding partition walls 3444 and 35-35, which aresuspended on the overhead tracks 36 and 37, respectively, fixed on thebottoms of the longitudinal beams 20. The folded partition walls 34 and35 are adapted to be stored in the storage compartments 39 and 40 at theend of the building adjacent the wall 13, and unfolded to extend to thetransverse center line of the building 10. The folded walls 34 and 35'are adapted to be stored in the storage compartments 39 and 40'respectively, adjacent the opposite end wall 14, and are also adapted tobe extended to the transverse center line of the building to meet thecorresponding extended longitudinal folding walls 34 and 35,respectively.

Fixed to and extending transversely outwardly of the longitudinal beams20 and spaced several feet above the fixed ceilings 2'7 and 28 aretransverse track beams 43 and 44 supporting fixed transverse tracks 45and 46, respectively. The outer ends of the track beams 43 and 44 may befixed in any manner to the roof 15. Suspended from the fixed transversetracks 45 and 46 for transverse movement are folding partition walls 47and 48 which are of greater height and greater length. than the foldingpartition walls 31 and 32.

Pivoted to the inside of each of the longitudinal beams 20 by means ofhinges 56 are a pair of lower ceiling panels 51 and 52, which arepreferably of equal width and adapted to extend the entire length of theassembly area 17. Of course the ceiling panels 51 and 52 may be dividedlongitudinally into sections to facilitate handling, particularly overlong assembly areas. Moreover, the lower ceiling panels 51 and 52 arepivoted about hinges at equal elevations so that they will extend in acommon,

horizontal lower-ceiling plane with their inner edges meeting, asdisclosed by the dashed-line position of lower ceiling panel 51 and thesolid-line position of lower panel 52 in FIG. 2.

Rigidly fixed beneath the roof by means of ceiling framing elements 54is an upper ceiling section (FIG. 2). The fixed ceiling section 55 isalso adapted to extend the full length of the assembly area 17. Thewidth of the fixed ceiling section 55 is sufficient, and so related withthe positions and sizes of the lower ceiling panels 51 and 52, that,when the ceiling panels 51 and 52 are pivoted upwardly, the inner freeedges of the ceiling panels 51 and 52 will abut against the lowersurface of the ceiling section 55, and, as shown in FIG. 2, will matewith the side edges of the ceiling section 55. Each ceiling panel 51 and52 is adapted to be raised or lowered by a cable 57, fixed at one end tothe upper surface of each ceiling panel 51 and 52, and then travellingover pulleys 58 and 59, fixed to roof 15, to extend downwardly withinthe side walls 11 and 12, and terminating in a weight concealed in aweight closet 61. Although it is not disclosed, the actual raising andlowering of ceiling panels 51 and 52 may be eiiected by manually movingthe cable 57 or the weight 60 up and down, or by mechanical means suchas a winch connected to the cable 57 or the pulley 59.

The lower ceiling panel 51 is provided with a plurality oflongitudinally spaced parallel transverse tracks 53 which are adapted tocoincide with and form extensions of the transverse tracks 45 when theceiling panel 51 is in its lower ceiling position disclosed by thedashed-lines in FIG. 2. In this position, the transverse partition walls47 may be expanded inwardly to the center of the assembly area 17, whichwould be the inner or free end of the ceiling panel 51. In a similarmanner, transverse ceiling tracks 64 are fixed on the lower surface ofthe lower ceiling panel 52 for receiving the transverse foldingpartition walls 48 in their expanded positions, as disclosed in FIG. 2.When expanded, both partition walls 47 and 48 in the same transverseplane will meet to form a partition extending completely across thebuilding 10 from side wall 11 to side wall 12. When the ceiling panels51 and 52 are elevated, the transverse partition walls 47 and 48 areretracted into their collapsed stored positions as disclosed by theposition of the wall 47 in FIGS. 1-4. Also, either wall 47 or 48 may bepartially expanded to completely span the width of the correspondingside room area 18 or 19 in order to further sub-divide the room areas.

Since the height of the longitudinal partition walls 34- 34', 35-35, andthe transverse walls 47 and 43 are equal, the longitudinal tracks 36 and37 are crossed by the transverse tracks 45 and 46, respectively. Theseintersections will have constructions similar to that shown in FIG. 5.Moreover, in order to permit the longitudinal partition walls 34-34 and35-35 to extend their full lengths, and still permit the full expansionof the transverse partition walls 4-7 and 48, the longitudinal partitionwalls are separated into sections, as shown by the partition walls 35and 35 in FIG. 1. The longitudinal walls 34-34 and 35-35 also havesmaller sections to provide doorways between each room formed by thetransverse partition walls 31, 32, 47 and 48, and the interior of theassembly area 17. These longitudinal wall sections may be detachablysecured to each other by any convenient means outside the scope of thisinvention.

The various operations of the invention will now be described byassuming initial positions in which both lower panels 51 and 52 areraised engaging the fixed ceiling section 55, and all partition walls31, 32, 34-34, 35-35, 47 and 48 are folded or stored. In the initialpositions, the assembly area 17 is provided with a high ceiling and allthe side room areas 13 and 19 are horizontally integrated with theassembly area 17 to obtain the maximum undivided space, which might beused for recreational or athletic activities, such as a dance, alecture,

play, basketball game, or any activity where maximum space is requiredfor the assemblage of the largest number of people.

Where it is desired to combine a substantially large assembly area andcollateral areas for small groups, such as classrooms or workships, thelongitudinal partition walls 35-35 and 34-34 may be unfolded andextended their full lengths to sub-divide the building 10 into thecentral assembly area 17, and the side room areas 18 and 19. The roomareas 18 and 19 may then be further subdivided into rooms by one or moreof the room partition walls 31 and 32 and also by extending thetransverse partition walls 47 and 48 only as far as the longitudinalpartition walls 34-34 and 35-35. As shown in FIG. 1, all of thesub-divided rooms are approximately of equal size, but any two of theseadjacent rooms may be combined to form a larger classroom by merelyfolding or storing one wall, such as 31. In this example, the assemblyarea 17 may either be provided with the high ceiling where both lowerceiling panels 51 and 52 are raised, or it may be provided with a lowceiling where ceiling panels 51 and 52 are lowered to their commonplane, as disclosed by the dashed-line position of panel 51 and thesolid-line position of panel 52 in FIG. 2. It will be readily observedthat where the additional upper ceiling space is not required, the lowerceiling position will afford substantial economy in heating and cooling,since only the air in the assembly area 17 below the lower ceilingposition need be conditioned. Moreover, all the space between thelowered ceiling panels 51 and 52 and the roof 15 functions as aninsulating medium for either heating or cooling.

Where it is desired to sub-divide the assembly area 17, the lowerceiling panels 51 and 52 must be in the lowered position so that thetracks 63 and 64 will align with and effectively extend the tracks 45and 46 for full expansion of the transverse partition walls 47 and 48.With the transverse partition walls 47 and 48 extended on the loweredceiling panels 51 and 52, the relative positions of the longitudinalwalls 34-34 and 35-35, and the room partition walls 31 and 32 are almostas numerous as the space needs of the occupants. For example, allpartition walls may be extended to sub-divided the spaces into themaximum number of rooms. Also, the longitudinal partition walls 34-34and 35-35 may be fully retracted into their respective storagecompartments 39, 39, 40 and 40', and the transverse room walls 31 and 32may be fully retracted to provide elongated assembly areas extendingtransversely of the building 10 between the transverse walls 47 and 48and from side wall 11 to side wall 12. Between these two extreme spacearrangements for the extended side walls 47 and 48, there may be anynumber of intermediate arrangements. For example, one such arrangementcould be as shown in FIG. 1, but with the transverse walls 47 ex panded.Thus, the longitudinal partition walls 34 and 34 and the room walls 31are retracted so that small assembly areas extend between the transversewalls 47 and 48 from the side wall 11 to the longitudinal partitionwalls 35-35, with room area 19 sub-divided into small rooms by thetransverse partition walls 32 and 48.

Here again, where the transverse partition walls 47 and 48 are extended,so that the lower ceiling panels 51 and 52 are necessarily in theirlower ceiling position, there is considerable reduction in heat transferto the outside environment, because only the room areas 18 and 19beneath their ceilings 27 and 28 and the assembly area 17 beneath thelowered ceiling panels 51 and 52 need be heated or cooled, and all thespaces above the ceilings and beneath the roof 15 provided a thermalinsulating air medium.

Consequently, the convertible building construction made in accordancewith this invention provides numerous variations not only in lateral orhorizontal space requirements, but also in vertical space requirements,to suit the space needs and functions of the occupants. Moreover, thebuilding provides partitions and panels to suit the needs requiredwithout wasting space and without heating or cooling unnecessary spaces.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible building comprising:

(a) a floor,

(b) a building frame rigidly supported above said floor and includingopposed side walls,

(c) an upper ceiling fixedly supported on said frame above said floor,

(d) a pair of parallel longitudinal beams fixed to said frame and spacedbetween said side walls above said floor and below said upper ceiling,

(e) longitudinal track means mounted along each of said longitudinalbeams,

(f) a longitudinal folding partition wall suspended in each of saidlongitudinal track means for movement along said beams,

(g) a pair of lower ceiling panels having inner mating edges and outeredges,

(h) hinge means mounted on each of said longitudinal beams inside saidcorresponding longitudinal track means and connecting said outer edgesto said corresponding beams for swinging movement about longitudinalpivotal axes,

(i) said hinge means being spaced apart a distance equal to the combinedwidths of said ceiling panels,

(j means for swinging said ceiling panels about said hinge means betweena lower ceiling plane in which said ceiling panels are coplanar and saidinner edges meet, and a raised position in which said inner edges engagesaid upper ceiling,

(k) transverse outer track means mounted on said frame and extendingfrom each beam outwardly toward said corresponding side wall,

(1) ceiling track means mounted on said ceiling panels transverselythereof and adapted to be coextensive with said outer track means whensaid panels are in said lower ceiling plane,

(m) a pair of transverse folding partition walls,

(It) means mounting each of said transverse partition walls to move insaid corresponding outer track means and in said corresponding ceilingtrack means when said ceiling panels are in said lower ceiling plane.

2. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising room ceilingsfixed on said frame between each longitudinal beam and its correspondingside wall.

3. The invention according to claim 2 further comprising room trackmeans extending transversely of said room ceilings, and foldable roompartition walls movably carried by said room track means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,856 7/ 1894 Sanderson 52-642,027,992 1/1936 Maurer 52-238 2,206,478 7/ 1940 Hennessey 52-642,629,339 2/ 1953 Kovachick 52-64 3,083,418 4/1963 Reames 52-693,100,915 8/1963 Pennington 52-64 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,108 1934Netherlands. 10,693 1898 Sweden.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Examiner.

PRICE C. FAW, Assistant Examiner.

